Smile
by KiyoMeow1305
Summary: Through the pain and tears, Kazemaru will smile through it all. Rated T for mentions of beer and slight cussing.


AN: Hey, guys. Been a while, eh? So here's a short drabble. This was not beta-ed.

**Disclaimer: I don't** **own**** Inazuma Eleven.**

* * *

It was official.

Endou Mamoru was engaged to Raimon Natsumi. The happy couple had announced their relationship to the team a few days ago. Everyone accepted the news fairly well and had congratulated the two.

Well.. Everyone took it well except for a certain tealnet..

* * *

..Who was now drowning his sorrows in a few glasses of beer at his local pub.

_"Tsk, I'm such an idiot. Why did I think that Mamoru would fall for me? After all, he's straight and I'm.. different." _he thought as he took another sip of the hard drink. it was a strict policy of Kazemaru's to not drink excessively, but to hell with that policy. Tonight was an exception.

_"Then again, what /did/ make you think Mamoru was into you? Oh right.. All those touches and glances-What the fuck, Ichirouta. That was just you. It was all one-sided."_ he dissed himself for being so gullible.

The bartender gave him a strange look. Kazemaru muttered a 'sorry' before going back to his drink.

_"It's just that... Endou.. He's been my best friend for such a long time that I thought he might have harboured /some/ feelings for me.. I was proven wrong."_

The cold beer was numbing the pain he felt in his heart.

* * *

_-FLASHBACK-_

_A shivering 15 year old Kazemaru waited at a park bench for Endou, who had gotten a detention for having skipped a class just for the sake of extra soccer practice. That boy might as well marry a soccer ball._

_"ICHIROUTA!"_

_Mamoru's voice rang across the now-empty park. When he arrived, he gave Kazemaru a queer look._

_"Ichirouta, didn't you bring a coat? Or scarf? The weather has been harsh lately.."_

_Kazemaru blushed, "It slipped my mind."_

_"It's not like you to forget stuff.. But anyway.."_

_Kazemaru gave a gasp as a sudden warmth enveloped him. He looked to his left and saw that Endou had shared his scarf with him. They looked like a couple from one of those cheesy romance mangas Haruna always read._

_"T-Thank you, Mamoru."_

_"No problem, Ichirouta! I don't want my best friend to turn into a popsicle after all!"_

_-END FLASHBACK-_

* * *

_"Was love always this painful? I doubt it was. Back in elementary, I thought love meant you fell in love at first sight. That's what happened to me when I saw Endou. Apparently, younger me was even more gullible." _

He downed the last of his sorrows with one last gulp of beer.

_"I should stop. If I continue at this rate, I'll be getting one hell of a hangover tomorrow. Or worse, act like that foreigner." _

He surreptiously glanced at the British across the bar, who was currently wearing a toga and was half shouting and half sobbing, "ALFRED, WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME~?". The American next to him was trying to get the Brit off the table.

Kazemaru sweatdropped, _"Foreigners.."_

* * *

Kazemaru woke up to a hangover. And was it ever bad.

The 24 year old had laid in bed with a bottle of water and aspirin for a good half of the day before he could function properly. He still had a throbbing headache when he entered the bathroom.

Once inside, he began to strip. As he did this, he caught of some scars on his forehand. He grimaced. These were reminders from his days before and after his Dark Emperors phase.

He had cut himself before the phase because he had considered himself useless and not useful anymore. No one would notice if he was gone.

Fortunately, Handa had stumbled upon him in the school toilets, wrists covered in blood. The brunette had given him a blank stare before hauling him off to the school nurse.

The ones after the phase were caused from guilt. This time he had taken it too far. He hadn't attended practice one morning and Max found Kazemaru lying in a small pool of blood at his apartment.

Needless to say, Max had sent him straight to the nearest clinic.

Kazemaru shook his head. That was in the past now. He was living in the present.

* * *

After a quick shower and a breakfast consisting of rice, tempura and tea, he settled himself in front of the television. He was in no mood to go out and his head seemed to agree.

A few minutes later, he got a tele-conference call from Max and Handa. He picked it up.

"Konnichiwa."

"You don't have to act so perky. We know you're hurt."

"Straight to the point, eh, Handa?"

"Obviously. Look, we're here if you need us, okay? It's okay to be afraid. Everybody hurts, everybody feels this way and it's okay."

With that, Kazemaru let the tears loose.

And he didn't plan to let them out again after this.

* * *

**A week later...**

"Ohayou, Ichirouta~"

"Ohayou, Mamoru."

"Hey, Ichirouta... I've been considering something and well, you seemed perfect for it."

"Hm? Perfect for what?"

"Be my best man?"

_Tha-thump._

"S-Sure. I'd be glad to."_  
_

"Awesome! I'd expect nothing less from my best friend. Ah, I have to go, there's another call coming in. Bye!"

_Click._

_Tha-thump._

"Stupid heart. Stop beating so fast."

* * *

**2 months later...**

"Are you sure I look alright?"

"Yes, Mamoru, you look fine to me."

"B-But my tie-!"

"Here, let me fix it."

"Gah! Ichirouta, you're choking me!"

"You're over exaggerating. Relax. It's your wedding day."

"R-Right.."

Silence.

"Ichirouta?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks."

"Eh?"

"Thanks for everything. You put up a great wedding. You organized this event, without any help. I owe you one."

"It's nothing. There, your tie is done. And Mamoru?"

"Yeah?"

"Congratulations." Kazemaru smiled.

* * *

"I now declare you husband and wife."

They kissed.

And that was that. They were together now.

And I had to move on with reality.

Natsumi threw the bouquet. It went flying across the crowd of people...

.. And straight into my arms.

The people around me laughed jokingly and said that I was sure to bottom in any relationship. I blushed and mock punched them.

But when I looked at Endou, there was a recognizable look in his eyes.

"_You'll find someone. Don't worry. I'll be there for you."_

He smiled.

He had to smile now. For Endou, for everyone..

And especially for himself.

* * *

_"From strangers to best friends, we go back to strangers again."_

* * *

**-OWARI-**

* * *

Well.. That turned better than I thought it would.

It's 2 AM and some reviews would be nice to wake up to. :)


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